DownUnder: King Arthur
by Alasia Moonstalker
Summary: A sequal to my LOTR fic of the same title. It's been two years since Haley, Karen and Corrie went to Middle-Earth. Now they have to deal with Saxons, Romans and Woads, not Orcs.
1. Down Once More

"**DownUnder: King Arthur"**

_Author: _Alasia Moonstalker

_Legalese: _I own only the three girls, nothing King Arthur belongs to me.

_Genre: _Action/Adventure/Humor

_Rating: _PG-13

_Summary: _Haley, Karen and Corrie landed in LOTR once. What's to say something similar won't happen again? This time they have to deal with Saxons and Romans and Woads – not Orcs.

**DownUnder: King Arthur**

_Chapter One:_

It was easy for Haley Hayes to block out the world at times. Mostly when she was sparring in some form or another. Today she was dressed in a way that would raise eyebrows, baggy tan cargo pants with a tight black tee and big black boots. It wasn't her clothes that looked weird; it was the pair of brown leather bracers on her wrists with the Celtic design in them, with the two small throwing knives attached to the underarm. It was the longsword of elf-make strapped to her side, the unseen Rohirric dagger in her left boot.

Haley Hayes thought of herself as a typical twenty-year-old woman. Usually. She smiled grimly to herself as she looked to the side of the room. There was a bookcase and a set of cabinets alongside a bin. In the bin were a trio of backpacks. Two were jansport, forest green and purple, the last was a black satchel. All three held a myriad of things, ready to travel at last minute. Mostly a change of clothes or two, toiletries, a first aid kit and mostly an elegant medieval style dress. The bookcase was laden with books and notebooks and folders filled with music from the Elves, the Ents, the Dwarves, Hobbits and Man. On top of the bookcase was a guitar case, inside the case lay an electric guitar, blue and beaten with a silvery gray guitar strap. It had been a gift and was threaded with Mithril. The cabinet set was filled with medical equipment. Bandages, ointments and the like. On the windowsill on the other side of the room was a wooden box with ivy and flowers carved into it. Growing out of the box was a flourishing Athelas plant.

"Practicing again?"

Haley looked over to the door and smiled slightly. Karen Upchurch was one of those women who got a lot of double-takes. Haley's light brown hair was layered around her face and always worn back in a low tail, and her green eyes held a guarded look. Karen, though shorter than her friend, had waist length, honey blonde hair that fell in loose waves, creamy skin compared to Haley's tan, and bright blue eyes. Karen had a thin, curvy figure, Haley was all muscle.

"Yeah."

"You miss it?"

"Sometimes." Haley replied, sheathing her sword and striding to the table at the side of the room to grab her water bottle. "Most times."

"Things have changed since then, I know that Hale." Karen said, standing next to Haley and giving her friend a smile. "But it's been two years, settle."

"You want me to settle?" Haley asked. She gave Karen a sideways look. "I've tried Ren. It's not as easy as it sounds. I'm a warrior, and as much as I forced myself into that role, I love it."

"So join the military." Karen said.

"They don't let women into ground combat."

"Oh, right." Karen shrugged.

"What's going on?" A new voice asked as the door opened an closed. "You guys seem melancholy."

"Haley's been dreaming again." Karen said, looking to Corrie Robbins.

Corrie was a tried and true red-head. It was cut in layers, falling low on her forehead and framing her neck. The result of growing it out from a cropped, spiky look. Her brown eyes werehidden behind frameless glasses and her nose carried a smattering of freckles. She was the shortest of the three and was more willowy than Karen.

Together they were a bard, a healer and a warrior. Three best friends who'd gone through hell together and came out changed but happy.

"Mope when your dead." Corrie said with a grin as she did a little dance. She was in a nice black suit. A medical student, third year. "Let's party!"

"Why?" Karen asked. She wore a long jean skirt with a slit up one side to her thigh, tall black, heeled boots and a white tee with a red collar and cuffs.

"Because it's the weekend and I don't have to work tomorrow?" Corrie asked.

Haley and Karen exchanged a look. Haley shrugged and moved to the wall in order to put her weapons away. Her feet wouldn't move. Corrie let out a shriek from where she stood and snatched the box off the windowsill. Karen stared down.

"Not again."

Corrie landed on her tailbone and pain shot up her back. A series of thuds around her made her eyes snap open. She stared. Her pack, and those of her friends sat around her. She set the athelas plant down and sat up, hand on her lower back. Haley and Karen were nowhere to be seen.

"Oi! You!"

Corrie's head snapped around and she stared. There was a very large, burly and bald man sitting on a large, dark bay horse not twenty feet away. She stared openly at him as he got off the horse and walked over to her. He was armed and armored and had multiple scars on his bare arms.

"Where'd you come from?" He asked. Corrie shrugged. "I coulda sworn you fell out of the sky."

"I probably did." Corrie said, getting to her feet with his help. She rubbed her tailbone. "Where are we?"

"In the mountains north of Hadrian's Wall." He replied in his loud, boisterous voice. Another man came walking over. He had long, tangled blonde hair. "I'm Bors. That's Gawain."

Corrie's eyes went wide. "As is Arthur and his Knights?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. Well, any possible way you guys would be willing to aim me at that wall?" Corrie asked.

"Sure. We are headed that way." Gawain said. "Come."

Corrie let Gawain take her arm as Bors grabbed the box and the three bags and followed.

Haley hit the ground rolling. She impacted with her shoulder and rolled to her feet and crouched low with her hands on the ground, examining her surroundings. There was no one in sight. And it was snowing. Haley stood and shook the feeling back into her shoulder. That would be sore in a couple of hours she figured. At least she had her weapons. She sighed, now she had to pick a direction. She held her arm out in front of her, pointing and spun in a circle, counting to ten. She stopped spinning and waited until the world stopped spinning as well before she stared walking in the direction she'd stopped facing.

Karen landed in a tree. Which was not only painful to her stomach, but also not the right spot to be in when wearing a skirt and above a campsite. She slid backwards and let out a shriek as she fell. She grabbed the branch she'd landed on and held on. Because of her shriek the men below her looked up. Two of them had dark curly hair, one was wearing a kilt the other had twin swords strapped to his back.

That was when Corrie appeared, being led by a blonde man and followed by a burly bald man carrying their bags.

"Corrie!" Karen shrieked. She kicked her legs a little as she realized that there weren't any branches lower than the one she was on and she had to be a good six feet from the ground.

Corrie looked up. "Karen! What are you doing up there?"

"Oh, I dunno, seeing which was the lonely mountain is?" Karen shot at her friend angrily. "This is where I landed you nit!"

"Oh." Corrie looked slightly sheepish. She took their things from the bald man. "You can let go of the branch, Bors will catch you."

"Who?"

"Me." The bald man said, moving under her.

"Oh, right." Karen rolled her eyes, closed them and let go of the branch. She fell straight into Bors' arms. He remained upright. She cracked an eye open and looked up at him. "Thanks."


	2. Fight or Flight

"**DownUnder: King Arthur"**

_Author: _Alasia Moonstalker

_Legalese: _I own only the three girls, nothing King Arthur belongs to me.

_Genre: _Action/Adventure/Humor

_Rating: _PG-13

_Summary: _Haley, Karen and Corrie landed in LOTR once. What's to say something similar won't happen again? This time they have to deal with Saxons and Romans and Woads – not Orcs.

_Author's Notes: _Okay, I don't really feel it's necessary for you to read the first 'DownUnder' fic. But it may help you understand the girls a little better.

**_ElessarLover: _**I'm glad you liked the first one so much. I really loved getting your reviews for it. I'm also glad you reviewed the first chapter of this one the way you did, I was a bit timid about starting it. Thanks for the boost of confidence!

**DownUnder: King Arthur**

_Chapter Two:_

Haley wanted to sit for a minute. Sit and breathe maybe; take in her surroundings. She couldn't remember being colder in her life. It very rarely snowed in southern Arizona unless you were in the mountains – in the mountains though, you tended to go out in the snow bundled up in a winter coat. Haley had no winter coat, just the thin black tee she was wearing. Goosebumps had broken out on her arms a while ago, but walking and wrapping her arms around herself had helped some.

Haley sighed and watched in slight amusement as her breath puffed out in a little white cloud. A loud crack snapped her attention to her surroundings. Her eyes narrowed as she stood from the log she was seated on and her hand inched toward the hilt of her sword. She'd be damned before she allowed herself to be taken by surprise.

"Where do you think Haley might be?" Karen asked as she huddled under Galahad's cloak.

"I don't know, Robin." Corrie said, jumping down from the carriage they'd been using to change their clothes. Corrie's suit had been replaced by a pair of dark green corduroys and a pink tee with Share Bear on it. Karen had already changed into blue jeans and an AC/DC shirt.

"Well, gee, Batman, I thought you were a super-hero." Karen retorted sarcastically.

"She could be anywhere." Corrie bit back as she pulled on Gawain' cloak and sat down next to the blonde.

"Oh, well, that's a real comfort." Karen said. "She's the one with all the weapons."

"Uh, Karen, do the Knights of the round table ring any bells?" Corrie said, looking sideways at her friends. "'Cause that's who we're with and, y'know, they've got weapons too."

"Yes, but we know Haley will protect us with her life." Karen said. "We don't know anything about these guys. I don't see this as one of those versions where magic sword saves us. 'Cause as far as I can tell, Excalibur's just a sword."

"I know."

"And we're being chased by Saxons. In all the fairy tales we've ever heard, there were no Saxons." Karen continued. "And you know what's been said and actualized about Saxons don't you?"

"Yes, Karen, I do." Corrie sighed. "Thank you. Now shut up."

Haley had kept going on and off all night. It wasn't good to sleep more than an hour at a time without a coat of any kind. She could slip into hypothermia and die. So she had kept stumbling along. At this point she didn't really care where she ended up as long as it had a bed. A big, comfortable, warm bed…

Her reverie was cut short at the sound of voices. Haley turned in the early morning light and looked behind her.

They were big and burly, and there were six of them. Three had big crossbows that Haley recognized them as armor piercing. The others were carrying swords. Haley looked around for somewhere to hide, but all she saw were trees. She headed for the biggest one to hide behind it when a shout echoed through the silent white landscape. Haley's head shot around. They had spotted her and they had either drawn their swords or were loading a bolt onto their bows. Haley sighed, she hadn't really wanted to fight them. One, they were human, and killing a human was much different than killing orcs or wargs or trolls. That, and she really didn't think that they wanted to trade pie recipes by the blood thirsty looks on their faces.

Overhead a falcon screamed. Haley looked up to see the dark colored bird circling her head. Then there was a pounding sound – the muffled sound of hooves through snow. The sound came from the direction she was going. Haley looked behind her, but didn't see a horse, so she turned back around to face the men.

She drew her sword.

"I hope she's okay."

"Corrie, give it a rest, please." Karen snapped from where she lay on the ground. They'd had this talk last night. A day and a night without the tall warrior had Corrie worried. What they had been able to gather the situation in which they found themselves was rater dangerous. "This is Haley, we're talking about. And she's armed."

"Okay, so, maybe you're right. But she doesn't have a coat. Armed or not she could get hypothermia out here." Corrie said.

"I'm trying to convince myself that she's fine, Corrie. Please refrain from shattering my happy little illusion." Karen snapped.

A scuffle and loud, furious shouting erupted to their left. Corrie and Karen looked over to see Dagonet fighting off Maruis' guards. Karen leapt to her feet and grabbed a branch from the fire as Corrie bolted forward.

"I have the boy!"

Both women froze. Marius Honorus had a knife to Lucan's throat.

The first bowman to aim at her fell suddenly with an arrow sticking out of his chest. Haley turned and stared. A beautiful dapple gray had appeared behind her. Riding the horse was a tall man with dark hair in his face. He held a bow in his hands. Haley turned back around as the three wielding swords charged her.

It all became a blur. Block, parry, thrust. The movements were honed into her. One man was quickly gutted, painting her blade red. Pain. It shot through Haley and she stumbled backward at the force of the blow. She looked down, heaving air into her lungs as she stared at the crossbow bolt sticking out of her left shoulder. Haley blinked and then the world came back into focus. She brought her sword up to block an attack.

Tristan didn't quite know what to make of this strangely dressed woman. It wasn't the face that she was dressed strangely, or even that she was a woman, it was the fact that she was armed to the teeth and obviously knew what she was doing with the sword in her hands.

It was the scar. It ran diagonally along the left side of her face. It could have easily been either a knife wound or an arrow graze. It looked old. Not old enough to have faded very much, but old enough that it seemed to be a part of her face. Most men would have called her a handsome woman save for that scar. Her jaw was set in a hard line as the first swordsman struck. He fell, drops of blood trailing off the tip of her sword as Tristan took down the second bowman and aimed his mount at the third.

He turned his head and watched as a bolt was fired. Her body jerked back and then forward swiftly and she looked down at her shoulder in shock. Tristan jumped off his horse onto the third bowman, drawing his sword and cutting the Saxon's throat. He turned and strode forward, gutting the last swordsman with his curved blade.

The pair stood in front of each other for a moment, breathing heavily, air puffing out in front of them before she spoke. "Thanks."

She turned and sat on a large rock. She wiped the blood off her blade before sheathing it. She gripped the crossbow bolt and prepared to pull it out. Tristan moved forward and stopped her.

"Let me."

She nodded. Tristan's fingers wrapped around the bolt. He pulled. She cursed.


	3. CLANG! THere goes Marius!

"**DownUnder: King Arthur"**

_Author: _Alasia Moonstalker

_Legalese: _I own only the three girls, nothing King Arthur belongs to me.

_Genre: _Action/Adventure/Humor

_Rating: _PG-13

_Summary: _Haley, Karen and Corrie landed in LOTR once. What's to say something similar won't happen again? This time they have to deal with Saxons and Romans and Woads – not Orcs.

_Author's Notes: _Okay, I don't really feel it's necessary for you to read the first 'DownUnder' fic. But it may help you understand the girls a little better.

**_Verteri Lunum: _**I'm so glad! I loved writing the first one. I wasn't even going to write a sequal, but I fell in love with the characters. Thanks for the review.

ALSO: Ver, this chap is for you. Especially the part where Corrie and Karen 'lay the Smack-ith Down on Marius'.

**DownUnder: King Arthur**

_Chapter Three:_

Haley hissed and bit her lip as Tristan yanked the arrow from her shoulder. He grabbed something from the saddlebags on his stallion and wrapped a bandage around the wound to stem the blood flow. He grabbed one of the crossbows and mounted his horse. He offered a hand to Haley, she accepted it and leapt onto the gray behind him, locking her good arm around his waist.

* * *

It was with a loud clanging sound that announced their arrival. Karen stood over one of Marius' guards, her guitar held over her head like a baseball bat and a smug smile on her face. Corrie stopped in front of Dagonet with an evil look on her face, raising the flaming branch that Karen had pulled from the fire.

"Drop the knife." Karen said with narrowed eyes, glaring at Marius. "And let the cutie go."

"You cannot hurt me." Marius snarled. "Kill them!"

_Clang! _Another guard fell as the guitar impacted with his face. He slumped to the ground, broken nose gushing blood. Karen adjusted her grip on her weapon of choice and glared at Marius.

A howl caught her attention. A guard had tried to sneak up on Corrie. She'd smacked him with her branch and he was rolling in the snow trying to put out the flames.

"You heard the lady!" Corrie snapped at Marius. "Hand Lucan over you – "

"Corrie, cursing doesn't become you." Karen said, amused. Then she turned her attention to Marius. "Drop it. NOW!"

Marius snarled at Karen, Corrie threw her flaming branch. It glanced off Marius' head. It didn't do much damage, but it was enough for Lucan to get away and run to Dagonet. Corrie turned, knelt and looked Lucan over. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Lancelot, Arthur and Guinevere (armed with bow and arrow) approach.

Marius straightened and lunged at Karen, who raised her guitar. He never reached her. A gray blur appeared and suddenly Maruis was on the ground with his head being held up, his own knife at his throat and a very pissed off Haley straddling his back.

"Artorius!" Bors yelled, riding up at that moment, he had an axe on one shoulder and he glared at the remaining guards. "Do we have a problem."

Arthur aimed Excalibur at the guards. "You have a choice. You fight or you die."

Haley stood, hauling Maruis up by his hair. Her face was set as she threw him away from her. He cowered in the snow. "No one attacks Karen. Period."

She dropped the knife and turned to Karen, looking concerned. Karen grinned. "I'm fine… But you're not. What happened?"

Tristan chose that moment to throw the crossbow at Arthur's feet. "Armor piercing."

Karen and Corrie winced, Haley shrugged her good shoulder and Bors grinned. "How many did you kill?"

"Four." Said Tristan.

"Two." Said Haley.

"We haven't much time." Tristan told Arthur.

Arthur nodded. "Get everything packed up. Tristan, ride ahead. Lancelot, tie him up."

Marius had lain forgotten on the ground, but now the Knights attention turned back to him. He was on his hands and knees, working his way to his feet. Suddenly he lunged directly at Haley's back, whose wound was being prodded by Corrie while Karen looked on. Marius had a knife in his hand. Karen saw it. Before anything could happen she socked him in the jaw, spinning him around. One of Lancelot's twin blades gutted the fat Roman.

"Nevermind." Arthur said.

_AN: I know it's short. But it's late and I promise to continue soon._


	4. Ice, Decsions and Coconuts

"**DownUnder: King Arthur"**

_Author: _Alasia Moonstalker

_Legalese: _I own the three girls, nothing King Arthur belongs to me.

_Genre: _Action/Adventure/Humor

_Rating: _PG-13

_Summary: _Haley, Karen and Corrie landed in LOTR once. What's to say something similar won't happen again? This time they have to deal with Saxons, and Romans, and Woads - not Orcs.

_Author's Notes: _Okay, chapter four. I'm at the office atm, so I'm cheating. I had an idea while filing and copying and all that. I'm on break. Hopefully an hour is long enough to dash down what will hopefully be a good chap.

For **_Ver _**and **_Elessar-Lover_** who gave me individual reviews for the three previous chapters. I love you guys whole bunches!

**DownUnder: King Arthur**

_Chapter Four:_

"You think you'll be able to get your shirt over your head?"

"Probably." Haley said, giving Corrie a sideways look as the three climbed into one of the carriages. Dagonet had offered to take a look at the wound in Haley's shoulder, but Corrie had given the tall man a venomous look and pushed Haley away from him toward said carriage. Now the three were huddled inside as Haley maneuvered out of her shirt.

"Karen, check my pack for a shirt, would you?" Haley asked as she pulled down her bra strap so that Corrie had full access to the wound. She winced as Corrie washed excess blood away.

"It's deep, but it didn't hit any veins or anything." Corrie said. "I'll pour some iodine on it to kill any germs and stitch it."

"Do I get a bandage?" Haley asked.

"Yeah." Corrie said, unscrewing the lid of the iodine bottle. Haley stared at the brown bottle in apprehension. It hurt to use that stuff, but it killed everything and its grandma, so she wouldn't complain. "You get a bandage cause I don't want the site to get infected, and it's so close to your bra strap that I don't want said strap to rub it raw."

"Okay then." Haley said.

Karen was sifting through Haley's bag, moving things and pulling things out as she looked for a shirt. She tossed Haley a cherry Dum Dum from the costco sized bag in her pack. Haley unwrapped it and cursed loudly in pain as Corrie poured iodine over her wound. Karen pulled out a white shirt with black cuffs and neckline with 'Monkey!' on it in bold black letters.

"OW!" Haley yelled, and refrained from smacking Corrie upside the head. Karen winced, Corrie handed her the iodine bottle and its lid as she began to stitch the wound.

"I need a new bra." Haley said. "This one is wet and bloody... Also, if you want me to wear that shirt, I'll need a white one."

"Why?" Karen asked, smirking. Haley gave her her best evil glare.

"Because black bra under white shirt looks funny." Haley snapped.

"Okay! Done!" Corrie exclaimed.

"Finally!"

* * *

"Okay."

"No way in hell."

"Karen..."

"No. Absolutely not."

"It's not that bad, Ren."

"Yes it is Corrie!"

"You have to."

"No I don't, Hale."

"Do I have to throw you over my shoulder and carry you across?"

"You can't do that!" Karen yelled, turning to Corrie. "She can't do that!"

Corrie gave her a funny look. "Uh, yeah, she can. She's Haley."

Karen snarled, crossed her arms an pouted. "No."

Haley sighed as Bors stopped next to her, looking out over the frozen lake and then to the green eyed woman next to him. "What is it?"

"Karen's being stubborn."

"I am not!" Karen screeched. She turned on Haley. "Just because I like my life just the way it is-"

"You mean, alive and all that?" Corrie injected.

"Yes! Exactly!" Karen said. "I like being alive! I like solid land underneath me that never threatens to give way to icy death any second!"

Haley rolled her eyes, exchanged a look with Bors, turned Karen around and hauled the blonde onto her good shoulder. Karen let out an undignified sqwak as Haley stepped out onto the ice. Bors was laughing loudly a few fee away as Haley kept walking. Karen looked back at the shore to see him practically doubled over, hands clutching his stomach. Corrie's arms were crossed and she had a wide smirk on her face.

"Haley, put me down!" Karen yelled, pounding a fist on Haley's back. Haley grunted and her knees nearly gave at the jolt. Karen was definitely not as light as she looked.

"You keep hitting me like that and I'm liable to drop you." Haley snapped as she regained her balance and walked past Dagonet and Lucan.

"Put me down." Karen pleaded.

"Do you promise not to run back to shore?" Haley asked.

"I promise to run for the shore you're walking toward." Karen said. Haley bent over and set Karen on her feet. She rubbed at her back where the blonde had struck her and moved past her friend. Karen took a step forward, slid and landed with a crash in an ungraceful heap on the ice. Haley kept walking.

Corrie was laughing as she and Bors came up behind Karen. Bors hauled her to her feet by grabbing the back of her shirt and lifting. Corrie grinned at Karen. "You should know by now that Haley always makes it happen. Whether you want it to or not."

* * *

The sound of Saxon drums went through Haley and made her shudder. The last carriage was making its way off the ice and the knights were gathered.

"Knights?" Arthur looked at his men in question.

"Well, I'm tired of running." Said Bors gruffly. "And these Saxons are so close behind my arse is hurting."

"Never liked looking over my shoulder anyway." Tristan said. Dagonet smirked.

"It'll be a pleasure to put an end to this racket." Said Gawain. Galahad grinned. "And we'll finally get a look at the bastards."

"Here." Said Dagonet, moving to collect his weapons. "Now."

Arthur nodded. "Jols." Jols moved forward with two other men who took the horses away. Arthur turned to Ganis. "You lead the people to the wall."

"You're seven against two hundred!" Ganis exclaimed.

"Eight." Haley said, stepping forward. "I've got a grudge. Give me a bow and tell me where to stand."

"Nine." Karen said. "My aim may not be as good as Haley's, but I can fire an arrow."

"Ten." Corrie said. "Well, nine and a half. I can't aim to save my life, but I'm a healer and I've got battlefield experiance with a sword."

"Eleven." Guinevere said, walking up. "You can use another bow."

Arthur noddded to her. Haley turned to look across the ice as she took up a spot next to Tristan. Jols handed her a bow and set arrows on the ice for her. She nodded in thanks, tested the bow and looked down the line to where Karen stood between Dagonet and Bors. She smiled to herself.

"Karen?" She called. Karen turned, a questioning look on her face. "Are you suggestiong cocnuts migrate!"

Karen laughed and Corriesnorted. Karen spoke. "Not at all. It could be carried."

"What - a swallow carrying a coconut?" Haley demanded.

"It could grip it by the husk!" Karen said, indignant.

"It's not a question of where it grips it! It's a simple question of wieght ratios! A five ounce bird could not carry a one pound coconut." Haley said.

"There are a lot of lonely men out there." Lancelot said, looking over at Guinevere as he tried to tune out the three straqnge women and the other Knights' laughter.

"Don't worry." Guinevere said with a smirk. "I won't let them rape you."


	5. Battles, Scars and Funny Moments

"**DownUnder: King Arthur"**

_Author: _Alasia Moonstalker

_Legalese: _I own only the three girls, nothing King Arthur belongs to me.

_Genre: _Action/Adventure/Humor

_Rating: _PG-13

_Summary: _Haley, Karen and Corrie landed in LOTR once. What's to say something similar won't happen again? This time they have to deal with Saxons and Romans and Woads – not Orcs.

_Author's Notes: _Chapter five. I've taken to this fic like I did its prequel. I'm writing as fast as I can and meanwhile reading nothing but King Arthur fics so as not to get sidetracked by another fandom… I think it's working.

Dagonet lives! He's one of my fav charas. While I stayed strong with the first DU fic and let Boromir die (my fav LOTR chara) I just couldn't with Dag. I caved!

**DownUnder: King Arthur**

_Chapter Five:_

The bowstring was pulled back, the tip of the arrow aimed into the sky; and on command was released. It shot into the air and down in an arc, hitting a Saxon, who fell with a cry. Karen looked over at Dagonet, who was staring, and winked. Arthur had ordered Tristan and Bors to fire. Guinevere had said they were to far out of range. In reply Tristan had let fly four arrows, Bors one, and Karen had added hers to the mix.

Upon her return from Middle Earth, Karen had decided she didn't want to be just the bard with an unbreakable guitar. So she had taken up archery. Haley had as well, but unlike Haley, Karen didn't have to keep up skills with hand to hand, sword and knives. Corrie had raised an eyebrow and turned her back on weaponry, instead choosing to focus on getting through medical school. She still sparred with a sword now and then, just enough to still be able to lift and defend herself with one.

Karen had a smirk on her face as Arthur ordered all of them to release a second arrow. She did so and heard Arthur yell, "Fire on the wings! Make them cluster!"

There was a smirk on Haley's face as she fired again, this time hitting one of the drummers. To her left Karen let out a Xena-like warcry. Haley grinned.

"The ice isn't breaking!"

"Fall back!" Arthur yelled. "Prepare for combat."

Haley dropped her bow and drew her sword. Behind them she heard Corrie yell.

"DAGONET!"

Haley looked over in time to see Dagonet running out onto the ice with his huge axe in his hands. Her eyes went wide and she looked around. She snatched up a shield and kissed the copper braid of horse hair around her wrist before dashing out after the tall warrior.

"HALEY!"

Corrie couldn't believe her eyes. Haley was a warrior, tried and true, but this wasn't something she expect from the taller woman. Corrie could only gape as Haley sprinted across the ice as Dagonet's axe came down on the frozen lake for the first time. Corrie ran forward.

"Karen, do something!"

"I can't Corrie!" Karen screamed. "I don't know anything about this kind of thing!"

Haley brought the shield up and around over her and Dagonet's heads just as the first wave of crossbow bolts rained down on them. She looked over her shoulder at Dagonet and met his eyes. She nodded at what she saw there. The determined look in his eyes told her he was sacrificing himself for his friends. For the brothers he'd spent the last fifteen years with… And for the little boy that had wormed his way into the scarred man's heart. Haley's face set in determination as she turned back to the Saxons. For their friends.

Karen screamed as she saw Haley fall to one knee and struggle up to her feet again, a bolt sticking out of her thigh. Dagonet had an arrow in his shoulder and one in his side. Next to her Bors dropped his bow and dashed out onto the ice after Dagonet, followed closely by Arthur.

"Cover them!" Lancelot yelled. Karen pulled back her bowstring and fired.

An earsplitting crack echoed out through the little valley as the ice split. Haley gasped as she gutted a Saxon before an arm wrapped around her waist and hauled her backwards. The ice below her and Dagonet tilted and she felt herself slipping. Dagonet cursed as a bolt penetrated his leg right where Haley's wound was. Their feet slid across the ice and suddenly her skin felt like it was being hit with thousands of icy needles as they plunged into the water. Haley thrashed in the water for a moment before she felt a hand lock onto her arm and she was hauled from the water.

"Stay with me, Dag! Stay with me!"

Haley heard the gruff voice as if from down a long tunnel. It felt like her blood had frozen in her veins and she was vaguely aware of being hauled backwards over the ice.

"Haley!"

Karen. Haley forced her eyes open to see a teary eyed Karen looking down at her. Haley felt a warmth envelope her and she was hauled into the air. She looked up into the dark eyes of Tristan before her world went black.

"We must get them warm!" Corrie screamed from where she was kneeling beside Dagonet. "Now!"

* * *

Haley turned her head to the right and opened her eyes. They closed immediately as light assaulted them. Squinting she slowly eased her eyes open to see Dagonet lying across a tiny aisle from her. He looked like he very much wanted to sit up, but that he hurt too much to do so. He also looked slightly amused. Haley tried to sit up.

"Don't even think about it." Corrie's voice said. The redhead came into Haley's line of sight and knelt next to her friend. "You were shot again and them you were plunged into water that was way below freezing I'll bet. And if you ever do that again, I'll kill you."

Corrie offered Haley water and the green eyes woman drank until her throat no longer felt scratchy. Corrie stood. "I'll be back with some stew for the two of you."

Corrie disappeared. Dagonet spoke. "Is she always like that?"

"Like what?" Haley asked, struggling into a sitting position. She was wearing her gown. The forest green one she'd been given to attend Aragorn's wedding and coronation in. Probably for easy access to her leg if the painful throbbing in it was any indication.

"Overbearing." Dagonet supplied.

"Yes. All the time." Haley said with a grin as Bors, Gawain and Galahad appeared. "Hey guys."

"Hello." Gawain said.

"How ya feeling?" Bors asked.

"Like crap." Haley said, grinning.

"Holy!" Galahad exclaimed. "What was that?"

"What was what?" Gawain asked.

Haley looked confused as she had just finished fixing her dress and was pulling a fur over her. Galahad pointed at her legs. "That thing on your leg!"

"What thing?" Haley asked, pushing off the blanket and lifting the skirt of her dress, looking for a gelatinous blob that was sucking her blood. All she saw was her legs. Galahad let out a shocked 'That!' as Gawain gasped. Bors whistled. Suddenly it dawned on her. They were talking about the scar! The ragged and slightly circular one on her lower right leg that she'd gotten at Helm's Deep.

"That, Galahad, is a scar." Haley said in a 'duh' tone of voice.

"I know that." Galahad glared at her. "How'd you get it?"

"In battle." Haley replied. "Actually, we were defending a keep and the stone wall exploded. I was thrown off the wall and a shard of the stone imbedded in my leg."

"Haley, put that thing away!"

Haley grinned at Karen as the blonde forced herself to the front of the crowded carriage, literally throwing herself across Gawain's lap so that she could hug Haley fiercely. Haley let out a hiss of pain.

"Karen! Shoulder!"

Karen abruptly let go of Haley, a hand going to her mouth. "Oh, Hale, I'm sorry! I forgot."

"I couldn't tell." Haley said sarcastically, smoothing her skirt back down her legs and grinning at her friend to take the sting off her words.

"What is this?" Corrie's voice demanded. "A union meeting? Everyone out!"

Three knights and one woman climbed out of the carriage, giving Corrie sheepish grins as they went. Corrie climbed in and handed each of her patients a bowl of stew and ordered them to eat and then sleep before exiting. Outside the carriage Dagonet and Haley heard Corrie give an exasperated sigh. There was as pause and then Corrie's voice sounded.

"Okay, Lucan, you can visit with Dagonet."

Haley and Dagonet exchanged a grin as Lucan climbed into the carriage and hugged his hero.


	6. Interlude

"**DownUnder: King Arthur"**

_Author: _Alasia Moonstalker

_Legalese: _I own only the three girls, nothing King Arthur belongs to me.

_Genre: _Action/Adventure/Humor

_Rating: _PG-13

_Summary: _Haley, Karen and Corrie landed in LOTR once. What's to say something similar won't happen again? This time they have to deal with Saxons and Romans and Woads – not Orcs.

_Author's Notes: _Chapter Six. I apologize for the wait. I so got sidetracked with another fandom. Forgive me! It's really short, but I'm having debates on how to go about the next section of the movie.

**DownUnder: King Arthur**

_Chapter Six:_

The next two days to Hadrian's Wall were nearly unbearable for Haley. What with Corrie playing the overbearing doctor lady and making her stay in bed when she could have been walking about the day after getting the injury to her leg. She'd done it before, she even said so. Corrie had scowled and said that these were different circumstances.

Dagonet had looked amused from his side of carriage through the entire debate. Being a healer himself he knew his limits and not to tax himself… Mostly he just didn't want Corrie yelling at him the way she had when she'd found Haley outside early in the morning the day before.

The only thing that made the remainder of the trip bearable were the frequent visits from Karen and the knights, and from Lucan. They all managed to make her smile.

It was the day they were to arrive at Hadrian's Wall that she finally escaped. Haley woke before dawn, and noticing that Dagonet was still asleep, grabbed her pack, changed into a pair of army green cargoes and a black tee with 'Behold my Tantrum!' on it in white. She laced up her boots, pulled on her bracers, strapped on her weapons, filled one pocket with dum dums and escaped out the door.

When Corrie found her around breakfast time it was to find her finishing off a hunk of bread and talking Bors into letting her ride Dagonet's horse. It was either that or she was trying to convince him to go ask Dagonet for her, as she didn't want to be anywhere near the carriage lest Corrie ambush her and force her back inside.

Corrie had huffed, scolded and when faced with Haley's blunt sarcasm, had thrown her hands in the air and stomped off. Haley had grinned, turned back to Bors and raised a brow. He was grinning and nodded to her.

A few hours later found her riding in between Galahad and Gawain on Dagonet's big black war horse. She was regaling them with a Hobbit story. Telling of how, just before Aragorn's wedding, Pippin and Merry had somehow convinced her to help them raid the kitchens. It had been a fiasco. Not only had they been caught, but the cook had sent her two helpers after them as they ran away, arms full of food. The two hobbits had eventually taken Haley's load from her and ordered her to hold off the two boys while they got away. She'd gotten a busted lip before she'd broken bones and left them lying there with a scowl on her face intent on finding two mischief makers. The two knights found this extremely funny.

* * *

"So, how long have you known Haley and Karen?"

Corrie looked up at the huge, shirtless man before her. Dagonet was a sweet man, and it seemed that he was genuinely curious. She was currently changing the bandages on his shoulder and side so she chose to answer. "We've known each other since nursery school. The first time I met Haley we were four and a boy had stolen the toy I was playing with. I started crying, Haley saw, hit the kid, took the toy back and gave it to me. I asked it she wanted to play too.

We met Karen a few weeks later. She'd just moved from town further north and we found her sitting with a stuffed bear singing along with 'Sesame Street'. We joined her."

"What's 'Sesame Street'?" Dagonet asked curiously.

Corrie heaved a sigh. How was she supposed to explain Bert and Ernie. The Cookie Monster, Elmo and Oscar the Grouch?

* * *

Karen let out a low whistle as the wall came into view. It wasn't so much the height of the wall that grabbed her – she'd seen taller, it was the length of it. How it stretched in both directions as far as she could see. It wasn't the fort either. It was the fact that the town the fort housed seemed to _alive. _Karen instantly loved it.

That and it promised a real bed and a bath.


End file.
